MAPOLY staff named NIOB Registrar

The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has named a Senior Lecturer and former Head of the Department of Building Technology at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Mrs. Osho Fatimoh Abolore, a Builder and Fellow of the institute, as the Registrar.
Mrs. Osho, who earlier this year inducted as a Fellow of the institute was emerged as the new Registrar of the professional body during its 49th Annual Builders’ Conference/AGM, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
To emerge the Registrar, she was said to have polled 103 of the total 183 votes in election described as the most competitive in the history of the institute to beat the other two candidates.
The new Registrar holds several fellowship and membership of several professional organisations and societies such as the Institute of Policy Management Development (IPMD), the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), among others.
Between 1999 and 2006, Osho served as a Part Time Lecturer at the Building/Quantity Surveying Department of the polytechnic and was later became full time lecturer at the Building Technology Department from 2006 till date.
She has held several positions in the institute such as the Treasurer of Ogun State chapter between 2003 and 2006; Vice Chairman, Ogun State chapter between 2003 and 2006, and Chairman of the state chapter of the institute between 2012 and 2013, and as the ex-officio between 2013 and 2014.
While lauding the management and staff of the polytechnic for their support, as she ascribed her victory to the progress and success of institution, Mrs. Osho promised to be good ambassador of the polytechnic as she pledged to put MAPOLY first in all aspects of her assignment.
According to the Head, Public Relations & Protocol, ‘Yemi Ajibola, the Rector, Dr. Samson Odedina, on behalf of the management, staff and students of the polytechnic congratulated her and wished her success in the new assignment.

No Nigerian school makes world’s 200 top varsities’ list

Cost, location and career prospects are all key considerations for would-be students choosing a university.
But reputation plays an important role, too.
The annual World University Rankings, released by Times Higher Education (THE) on Wednesday, analysed more than 1,300 institutions around the world.
Considered the most comprehensive global ranking, it uses 13 “performance indicators” to judge institutions’ excellence in teaching, research, income and international outlook.
There was no change at the top this year, where European and North American universities continue to dominate.
The hallowed University of Oxford took the top spot for the fourth year in a row, with its traditional rival the University of Cambridge dropping to third place behind the California Institute of Technology.
Switzerland was the only country outside the United Kingdom and North America to break into the top 20, with the ETH Zurich coming in joint 13th place.
Regionally, Europe had the most top-ranking universities in the top 200, accounting for just under half, while the United States was the country with most institutions in the top 200, a total of 60.
Ellie Bothwell, THE’s rankings editor, said that while Europe continued to perform “extremely well” and attract academics from around the world, there could be challenges ahead.
“Europe must overcome serious hurdles if it is to maintain its strong position in future global rankings. Economic stagnation and increasingly isolationist political tendencies both threaten the positions of European institutions at a time when international cooperation and investment is key,” Bothwell said in a statement.
Seven territories included in the analysis for the first time were Bangladesh, Brunei, Cuba, Malta, Montenegro, Puerto Rico and Vietnam, reports al-Jazeera.
Iran was one of the biggest overall climbers, overtaking France and Australia with 40 universities included.
None made it into the top 200, however, with Israel’s Tel Aviv University providing the Middle East’s sole entrant at joint 189th place.
Africa was represented in the top 200 by two South African institutions: the University of Cape Town and the University of Witwatersrand, while Latin America was notable for its absence. Brazil’s University of Sao Paulo is the region’s highest-ranked institution, placing in the 251-300 band.
Asia is the only region posing a serious threat to Anglo-American dominance in the rankings, now in their 16th year.
China has grown to be the fourth-most-represented country in the world, while Japan has consolidated its position as the second, though it lags behind countries such as Denmark and Belgium in terms of top-200 representation.
“It has long been clear that the emerging countries of Asia are going to play an increasingly powerful role among the global elite of higher education,” Phil Baty, THE Chief Knowledge Officer, said in a statement.
“Future editions of the World University Rankings will most likely reveal intense competition, and while European and American institutions face significant hurdles, Chinese and other Asian universities have challenges of their own they must meet.
“These include ensuring that the excellent academics they produce do not move abroad to more established institutions in Europe and North America; promoting a culture of scholarly creativity and freedom; [and] boosting ties with nations across the globe”.

LASU’s major step for research development

RESEARCH Lagos State University (LASU), last week, embarked on a major journey, which will trigger research development for the overall development of the nation

Fashola: No national development without proper data

VC: Research is catalyst tool for development

For four days last week, scholars and researchers across Nigerian universities and research institutes converged on the Lagos State University (LASU), where the university assembled over 242 scholars in its major step that would chart a new direction for research exploit to trigger national development.
Tagged: “LASU 1st Research Fair and Endowment of Research Grant Fund,” its main theme is “Driving National Development Through Research and Innovation,” while the sub-themes are Developing Research Culture; Innovations, Patients and Intellectual Property; Sustainable Funding in Research; Industrial Application of Research Findings; Cutting-Edge Health Techniques; and Research and Societal Impacts.
The keynote address was delivered by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who spoke on “Driving National Development Through Research and Innovation.”
At the opening ceremony of the fair, which took place at the new Aderemi Makanjuola Hall, Ojo main campus of the university were the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN); Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN); Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, who represented the Governor and Visitor to the university, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the Chairman Governing Council, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo; scholars from other universities, researchers and representatives of the organised private sector, former Registrar, Mr. Lewis Akinwunmi; Prof. Peter Okebukola, and Provost, College of Medicine, Prof. Anthonia Oghera; principal officers of the university, among others.
Setting the tone of the research fair, the Director Research Management and Innovation of the university, Prof. Olumuyiwa Odusanya, said the theme of the fair had not only expressed the university’s ambition, but also commits it to be unique solution providers as major stakeholder in the development of Lagos State and Nigeria, at large.
“The vision of our Directorate is to build a strong research culture that will transform Lagos State University to be the leading research university not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa. This transformation we have started with the creation of our directorate and is being amplified today with the hosting of first research fair at our university and the endowment of the Lagos State University Research Grants Fund,” he said.
According to him, part of the activities of the directorate include the development of research policy for the university, training of staff on research grants management and building capacity in several important aspects of research.
The directorate, Odusanya added, played a key role in the selection of LASU to host African Centre of Excellence for Innovative and Transformative STEM Education, which is headed by Distinguished Prof. Peter Okebukola.
In his keynote address, Fashola, however, expressed worry over lack of proper data in the country, saying national development could not progress without proper data, even as he blamed this deficiency on the numerous challenges facing us, as a country.
“Lack of adequate projection due to absence of verifiable data is a clog in meeting national needs such as provision of health delivery system, education, housing, water and other infrastructure. The universities in their research efforts should interrogate this, because if there is no proper data for national development, the country will not be able to compete globally,” the Minister lamented.
Fashola, who noted that research was key to development, and claimed that there was nothing wrong with Nigeria, as a country, but the choices and policies we have made as a nation, stressed: “We are confronted with many questions about how we are going to develop.”
He also asking if the “universities or any organ have taken time to interrogate when the country made the choice, whether there was any definitive research about the choice, and whether it was well researched before making the choice. We have to go back to the basics, and research will place a prominent role in this direction.”
In his recommendation on how research could be funded adequately, Fashola, who charged the university on ways to fund research, however, suggested several avenues in which to tap resources for research development.
These, according to him, include endowment of professorial chairs, which the Minister noted that a case could be made for private and public organisations and individuals to support the endowments in the institution; promote or sponsor legislations that will help the funding of research; through LASU alumni endowment funds as an avenue for the university to raise funds.
But, Fashola, however, asked whether LASU had a comprehensive data of its alumni from inception to date, and whether the institution is leveraging on the strength of the alumni?
He, therefore, urged the management to compile a comprehensive list of the university alumni in order to leverage on their strengths towards endowment of professional chairs.
While underscoring the relevance of research to national development, the Minister said: “Today, we talk about increase in kidnapping? Does it correlate with reduction in arm robbery? Has anybody made any published research on the trend of crime in the country? I doubt and this is a fertile ground for research. What I am driving at is that when we study things or research into them they produce results and in turn improve our lives,” he said.
Since national development could not happen in the absence of proper data and research efforts, the Minister challenged LASU on the urgent need to look critically into ways of helping the government with verifiable data that would propel national planning and development.

Fashola, who also raised some posers in his lecture, however, asked whether universities through research were able to look at the nation’s education system with a view to finding solutions to the myriad of challenges confronting the sector.
“Should we continue the system where a teacher hands down everything to the students rather than break them into groups to find solutions? It is the reason why we continue to wait on one man to solve all our problems rather than find our own solutions,” he further queried.
LASU and other universities, according to him, could start by carrying out impactful research in many relevant spheres of national life for government at all levels.
However, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. ‘Lanre Fagbohun and his management team had on assumption of office consistently been on the watch for ways to metamorphose LASU into a balanced university, one where teaching, research and community service grow hand-in-hand.
He said: “LASU has continued to transform and make great impact in the immediate environment and the wider society. We are today making our first research fair and that is why I say history is being made. Research remains the catalyst and veritable tool for national development. “
To this end, we seek to endow the LASU Research Grant Fund. The Fund will be the incubator and facilitator for cutting-edge research in our university.”
The Vice-Chancellor pledged the readiness of the university to work with the government and private sector to develop solutions to the problems in the state and Nigeria through research.
The Governor and Visitor to the university, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, noted that the place of research in the present century could not be over-emphasised.
This was as he said that “business research and innovation contribute significantly to the growth of business and enterprises.
The governor, who assured the guests that Lagos was also moving from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based, charged LASU to proffer solutions to the six pillars of the state government’s development agenda.
Sanwo-Olu, who reiterated his administration’s determination to research development, also assured the university of the government’s continuous support in order to facilitate research enterprises in the state.
Describing the theme of the fair as apt, Sanwo-Olu expressed optimism that the research fair would go a long way in bringing about innovative solutions, which would propel LASU to develop patent, spin off companies and become globally renowned university in the near future.
Like Fashola, the governor tasked the institution to play an important role in the state’s innovation, ecosystem and economics by fostering entrepreneurship and promoting diversity and inclusion.
On his part, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, enjoined the institution to persist in this course in order to develop solutions to the needs of the state, adding that he will not relent in supporting the research efforts from the university.
He also tasked scholars to conduct cutting-edge research that would accelerate the growth of the state and country, assuring the management that the Council was determined to support and aid development of the university through research and innovations.
The plenary session on the sub-themes was chaired by Professor Okebukola.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, anchored the discourse on Developing Research Culture: The University of Lagos Example; Innovations, Patients and Intellectual Property by Prof. Adebambo Adewopo; Sustainable Funding in Research by Prof. M. Anethekhai, Director of LASU Centre of Entreprenuership Studies; Building Academia – Industry Partnership by Dr. Doyin Salami, Chief Executive Officer, Kainos Edge Counselling and Member of the Board, Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
In one of the papers presented at the plenary session on “Efficient Exchange Rate Determination Model: Is the Nigeria Currency not Undervalue,” Prof. James Kehinde of the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Management Sciences, said the need to have a strong and realistic exchange rate permeates the mind of every nations and the international world.
According to him, the objectives of the thrusts of the study are to present a model that have eliminated inherent weakness in other methods of exchange rate determination, present the modify purchasing power parity theory (MPPP) as the model that generate an efficient exchange rate (EER) determination and currency valuation, determine the real exchange rate of naira to dollar and other currency of the world using the MPPP.
In his analysis, the salient findings indicated that the current Nigeria exchange rate does not reflect the true value of the Naira, saying the current exchange rate of Naira to Dollar (N/USD) is fixed at rate over above the realistic purchasing power of the Nigeria currency.
Speaking on the various approaches developed by the African Centre of Excellence for Innovative STEM Education (ACEITSE), to enhance pedagogies in schools, Prof. Okebukola, hinted that the Culturo-Techno-Contextual (CTC) Approach is the central pedagogy of the centre, under which e-learning protocols are also deployed to ensure flexible learning and strengthen face-to-face delivery of the curriculum.
In the abstract on Exploring the Impact of Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach in Tackling Under-Achievement in Difficult Concepts in Biology, he said: “The concern for culturally relevant method of science teaching has continued to agitate researchers in Africa, reaching new heights at the beginning of the century.
“This study explored the impact of the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA) on students’ achievement and attitude towards perceived difficult concepts in biology.

Solanke condemns low cut-off marks for varsities, Law Schools, others

Nigeria’s first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Folake Solanke (SAN) has protested what she described as the damaging policy of educational institutions – schools, colleges, universities and the Law School for accepting and reducing pass mark below 50 per cent.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who condemned this practice in the nation’s school system, however, argued that “any mark below 50 per cent is a failure,” lamenting that a situation in which institutions accept 40, 45 or 48 per cent as pass marks is scandalous and a mockery of the education quality.
“I was appalled to now hear that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) approves of 120 out of 400, which is 30 per cent as pass marks. Thus, many students enter educational institutions with such a low standard of performance and come out as unemployable graduates,” she said.
Solanke, therefore, pleaded with policy makers in the education system as well as educational institutions to stop this national educational scandal, even as he called on Nigerians to be actively involved in the protest and be part of the public conversation to stop this erroneous policy that its end result would be an unspeakable doom for the nation.
Quoting Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) in his lecture at the Annual Conference of Nigerian Law Teachers on “Repositioning Legal Education for National Development” in Ibadan in July, this year, said: “Also, the different cut-off marks for different universities would do more harm to the quality of education in the country. To correct this malaise, cut-off points for admission into Nigerian universities should be the same. A situation whereby some universities admit candidates who scored 140 or less out of a total mark of 400 is ridiculous.
“In our days, a child who scored less than 50 marks would incur the wrath of his teachers and would be caned for his indolence. But now, indolence is being encouraged by agreeing to admit candidates who scored as less as 30 per cent in their qualifying examination.”
This was as Solanke, who chaired the 20th Mike Okonkwo Annual Lecture, entitled: “The Danger of Unequal Criminal Justice System in Nigeria,” held at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, therefore, insisted that this national scandal had to stop for the country to regain its right position in the comity of nations in terms of education development.
The lecture was delivered by the human right lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, whose paper was on “The Danger of Unequal Criminal Justice System in Nigeria.”
The annual lecture is being organised by the Mike Okonkwo educational and Youth Initiative (MOEYI) to mark the birthday of anniversary of Dr. Mike Okonkwo, the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), which is celebrated on September 5, every year.
The high point of the lecture was the presentation of prizes to winners of the 16th Mike Okonkwo Annual National Essay Competition for Secondary School Students across the nation.
The topic of the essay was “Justice as an Instrument of Enduring Peace in Nation Building”, while the second topic was “Entrenching Tolerance as Solution to Nigeria’s Ethnic and Religious Crises.”
Sixteen-year-old Master Esigbone Omagbemi Ferdinard of Roshallom International Secondary School, Egbeda, Lagos, who came third in the last year edition, scored a total of 68 per cent to lead the pack in the 2019 edition.
Oluwaseun Esther Aremu of Shepherd International College, Ado-Ekiti, who came second, scored an average of 61 per cent, while Adeola Ademuwa Ifeoluwa, a student of Chrisfield College, Itamaga in Ikorodu came third with a total average score of 60 per cent.
For emerging as the overall winner, Esigbone received a cheque of N100,000, a laptop, a trophy and a plaque, while the school got three sets of computers and a printer; while Aremu of Shepherd International College went home with a cheque of N75,000, a plaque and the school got two sets of computers and a printer.
For coming third in this year’s competition, Ademuwa, a student of Chrisfield College, Itamaga in Ikorodu received a cheque of N50,000, a plaque, while the school also received a computer set.
According to the Chief Examiner, Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo, a don at the University of Lagos, a total of 612 entries were assessed, representing a drop of about 28 per cent, against 848 entries that were received and assessed for last year’s edition.
Ezeigbo said of the competition: “On the contrary, feedback from teachers and students indicates that some schools in Lagos are now adopting the winning entries of this competition as models in their teaching of writing and rhetoric. As we understand it, the drop arises in part from new strategies introduced by the organisers to ensure that only credible entries are sent in for assessment.

Old students reunite to honour ex-principal, Gargiulo

It was a reunion for old students of Ajuwa Grammar School, Okeagbe-Akoko, Ondo State, under the aegis of the Ajuwa Old Students Association (AOSA) as they converged last week on the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) to honour their former Principal, Chief Guy Gargiulo, a Briton.
The event was conferment the university’s Honorary Doctorate Degree on the 78-year-old Principal Emeritus, in recognition of his contribution to the development of secondary school education, swimming and computer education, particularly in Ondo State, and the country in general, as well as for mentoring many young Nigerians and humanitarian services to the nation.
Other eminent personalities that were conferred with Honorary Doctorate Degrees of the university were the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Most Reverend Felix Femi Ajakaye, and the Muslim cleric, who saved 262 Christians from being killed by insurgents in Barking Ladi in Plateau State, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi.
Chief Gargiulo, a British National, who dedicated his life to teaching and left the comfort of Europe for a far-flung sleepy community of Okeagbe-Akoko in Akoko-West Local Government Area of Ondo State to train and mentor many Nigerians, who have reached the peak of their careers.
For 60 years, Gargiulo mentored many Nigerians as a principal at Ajuwa Grammar School, Okeagbe-Akoko; where he left for C&S Academy in Ugbonla, Ilaje Ese-Odo, having first served as Headmaster at Igbobi College, Yaba, among others.
Some of GG’s novel contributions to education include the introduction of vocational education in Ajuwa and computer at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, where he served as Director of Computer Centre. He was the pioneer Chairman of Ondo State Swimming Association.
GG’s giant strides in the education sector, especially in Ondo State, which would not be forgotten in a hurry, include introduction and implementation of Continuous Assessment in Ondo State Ministry of Education, where he also worked.
Some of the old students at the ceremony to honour their principal, Gargiulo, who is fondly called ‘Chief GG’ by the old students and his admirers, were Dr. Tunji Abayomi, who received the award on behalf of GG, who is currently in the United Kingdom for medical checks.
Others old students were Prof. Dare Owolabi; the President of AOSA, Mr. Funso Akinseye ; Dr. Foluso Arewa of National Medical Centre, Abuja; Mr. Ayo Eye, Mr. John Ademoyegun, AOSA Treasurer, Olubunmi Dada and Mr. Dele Ogunsemoyin, among others.
Meanwhile, the President and Visitor to the university, President Muhammadu Buhari said he was particularly elated by the quality of people being conferred with honours by the institution, describing them as Nigerians with impeccable characters.
Therefore, President Buhari commended Gargiulo and described him as a humanist, who left the comfort of Europe to settle in Nigeria, training and mentoring many Nigerians.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, while congratulating the recipients of the honorary award, said: “It is an award well-deserved. In fact, they earned it. All of them have respectively paid their dues and demonstrated outstanding qualities of integrity, selfishness and nationalism. How I wish all Nigerians can follow in their footsteps. We are grateful that they accepted the award. I want to assure you all that these considerations will always guide our future nomination.”
Chief Gargiulo, who has spent 60 years in Nigeria with total and full commitment to humanity, left Igbobi College, Lagos to join Ajuwa Grammar School, Okeagbe-Akoko in 1963 on a rescue mission of the ailing community secondary school from its collapse.
Some of the products of the school are former Vice-Chairman of Mobil Oil, Otunba Solomon Oladunni; Bishop of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Rt. Rev. Jacob Ajetunmobi; Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Startegy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, Human Resources Manager, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Mr. Yomi Olukoju of FRSC; Mr. Bisi Kazeem, FRSC spoeksman; The Nation Editor, Mr. Adeniyi Adesina; renowned retired broadcaster, Mr. Ayo Ogedengbe; and Dr. Foluso Arewa, a Consultant at the National Hospital, Abuja.
Other notable old students include the Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Senator Tayo Alasoadura; immediate past Commandant, National Defence Academy, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade (rtd); Mike Igbokwe (SAN) and former Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Dr. Ilufowobi Bakkita Bello.

Lagos insists on ‘unified school calendar’ for public, private schools

Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, has reiterated the determination of the state government to assist students who could not continue with higher education to succeed in their chosen vocations.
The Commissioner disclosed this during her maiden meeting with the leadership of the Association of Nigeria Conference of Principal of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), stating that in view of the importance attached to the role of education, as the fulcrum for human capital development, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made it one of the six pillars of his administration’s development agenda.
This was as Mrs. Adefisayo added that the success of the administration would ultimately be measured by success attained in the educational sector.
Meanwhile, as Lagos State schools (public and private) resumed yesterday for the 2019/2020, in line with the Unified School Calendar, the Commissioner reiterated the adoption of a uniform academic calendar, insisting that it would enable proper planning and ensure that pupils and students attend school for the number of days required in the term.
This was as the Commissioner, who expressed dissatisfaction over the resumption of private schools a week before or after the unified date, however, warned that any private school found to breach the rules would be sanctioned accordingly.
She commended the concerted efforts of teachers and non-teaching staff towards preparing the pupils for a successful academic session, assuring them that the state government would not relent in its commitment towards capacity building/training, staff welfare and reward for excellence.
The Commissioner urged parents/guardians that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in line with the themes and focus on education, would continue to do everything possible to improve on teaching and learning in schools.
According to the Commissioner, the realisation of the goals in the sector, depends largely on critical factors especially, the quality of teaching and learning, as well as the quality of leadership in the schools.
She, however, proffered relief to some critical challenges militating against the sector, which according to her include helping students who could not proceed to university to undergo some skill acquisition training; upgrading infrastructure in public schools across the state, and enlisting the support of the private sector for the development of the sector through persuasion.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, noted that the present administration would not “play the Ostrich” in the situation affecting basic and secondary school sub-sector.
Rather, he noted that the government would pay adequate attention to the problems in the sector with requisite determination to tackle them, even as he told members of the association that there would no room for ball passing.
On her part, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja admonished school principals to brainstorm on the best options that could serve as practical solutions to the challenges confronting them in discharging their duties and present a position paper to the state government for implementation.
Responding on behalf of ANCOPSS (Lagos chapter), the President, Alhaja Folasade Moronkeji lauded the state government for the support the association had enjoyed in the past, listing the challenges facing the association to include, but not limited to acute shortage of teachers in public secondary schools; inadequate furniture, particularly in the junior schools; inadequate funding of BECE practicals; lack of befitting secretariat in Lagos ANCOPSS and lack of sponsorship for principals in international conferences, among others.

Molaks proprietor restates commitment to school’s vision

Amid fanfare, the management and staff of Molaks High School, Iju-Ishaga in Lagos, bade the graduating students of the school farewell during the 17th graduation and prize-giving day of the private school.
The graduation and prize-giving ceremony was for graduating pupils of the school’s nursery, Primary Six and senior secondary school (SS 3), who successfully completed their academic programmes in the 2018/2019 school year.
At the event to bid the pupils and students farewell during the ceremony, which took place on the school premises were parents, staff members and other well-wishers, who were thrilled to various presentations and activities such as singing, drama presentation, poem recitation, cultural dance, news casting, talk shows and choreography by the students.
While congratulating the graduating pupils and students, the Proprietor of the school, Mr. Okeleye gave glory to the Lord Almighty for the successful completion of the school year, as well as His mercy on the students, teachers and school.
He reiterated the commitment of the school to providing qualitative education that would address the needs of the students in terms of their all round development, recalling that the last school year was full of series of activities, which include workshops, practical hands-on-experience, department activities and excursion that were aimed at meeting the academic and extra-curricular needs of the students.
“Social events were also organised to give our students a complete educational package. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons the name of the school has become a brand,” the Proprietor added.
He, therefore, commended the teachers and the non-teaching members of staff for their commitment, dedication and hard work, as well as parents for their support towards actualising the vision of the school, saying: “We would not have accomplished all these without the support commitment and dedication from our parents, members of staff, and also the students. We are so grateful for your cooperation.”
On the vision of the school to offer total education that will position the students for future challenges, Okeleye said: “Where there is no vision, the people perish, so says the Bible. However, it is not sufficient to have a vision, but the vision must be translated into a mission for it to be meaningful and have impact; and this vision is that knowledge is infinity.
“At this moment let me spare some moments to congratulate our graduating students. We are so glad for the success in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) respectively. I charge you to go to the world and be good ambassadors of the school and have your prints on the sand of time. As Henry David Thoreu said go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you can imagine and you will be the best for it. You are born to impact the world positively.”
He noted that during their education in the school, the students were nurtured, groomed and moulded to be useful adults, saying they should allow what they had been taught to be impactful in their lives.
“I want you to also realise that the world is a mixed blend indeed. I remind you that you should make the best use of lessons of life you learned and acquired here, your name should be your priceless jewel and for the pursuit of excellence. Remember to uphold the good name of your school and you must not forget your alma mater,” the proprietor advised the students.
He, however, lauded the Principal, Mr. Abidemi and his management team for their unrelenting efforts in nurturing the students, and their commitment to sustain the vision of the school.

Innovation is education

The 37th Annual Conference of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) that held between August 5 and 9, 2019 at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, might have come and gone, yet memories of the event will continue to linger among the diverse participants. Themed “Innovation in Educational Assessment”, the conference rightly put innovation at the centrestage of discourse since without innovation, there is no education, and without education, there is no development.
What is innovation? One of the simplest and profoundest definitions of innovation is the one offered by a former President of the United States, Barack Obama. According to him, innovation is “the creation of something that improves the way we live our lives.” Essentially, innovation creates what is new; innovation improves on what is on ground.
As a matter of fact, saying that innovation is education is anchored on the fact that education is a process of renewal, the continuous improvement of the self and society. It is equally axiomatic that education is a process of innovation, which is the identification of problems and challenges as opportunities or how to achieve more with less.
In a keynote address well-acclaimed by the participants at the conference, “Innovation in Educational Assessment: A Case Study of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)”, the Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, noted that innovation is creativity, the generation and application of new ideas in order to generate new processes and new products and new services in any organisation. Thus, innovation generates what is novel; innovation applies the known to address the unknown.
At the conference under reference, Prof. Oloyede strikingly reiterated that birds do not attend flight schools, lions do not organize conferences on how to be lions or hunt, rivers do not attend flowing colleges, fishes do not attend swimming seminars, trees do not attend fruit-bearing workshops. Life of the animals is not about education or innovation. It is about intuition, eating and being eaten.
In other words, it is human beings who get educated. It is human beings who innovate by converting their education to better and higher value. It is human beings who make improvement and acquire additional skills to alter their environment. Those who do not learn and innovate are not better than those who cannot. In fact, one would agree with the keynote speaker that “life without education is as useless as a cell phone without a SIM card or a computer without an
Meanwhile, if innovation is not injected into education, education becomes mere schooling. The bane of much of what goes for education in Nigeria is schooling because the process is largely shorn of innovation. There are teachers and lecturers who still regurgitate the stale facts and expired ideas they were taught several decades ago on their hapless victims. Some of these characters are anti-innovation to the extent that they want the same ideas poured down to them in a back-to-the-sender fashion. Many students also fail to appreciate that the goal of education is innovation or conversion of what is learnt to solutions.
Three years ago, Nigerians were stunned by the innovation of a young man from Enugu State, Emeka Nelson, who invented a generator that runs on water. The idea was compelled by the experience he had as a primary school pupil when he lost a friend of his to generator fumes. He sought to find a solution to the recurrent deaths of Nigerians due to generator fumes and the answer came in the fabrication of his portable hydroelectric generating set. This is an educated person and it is immaterial that he did not have university education at the time of his life-changing invention. Yet, there are millions of graduates whose ideas about education are limited to a process of getting certificates or what qualifies a person for a job.
It goes without saying that education is not just the mere accumulation of degrees and certificates, speaking foreign languages or dressing like foreigners. Education is translating what is learnt into action. It is the conversion or combination of bits of knowledge to novel products and services. Innovation lies in connecting the dots of knowledge and education is merely the gathering of dots. But dots are altogether useless until they are connected to create useful patterns, a point stressed by Richard Bradson who insisted that his employees must ABCD: always be connecting dots.
The implication of the foregoing is that innovation, or creation of texts, products and services to benefit or improve the society, is true education. When that component of creating, creativity and application is missing, what remains is mere schooling.

Effective social scheme, panacea for urban development – Don

A university lecturer, Prof. Afolabi Aribigbola, has recommended the introduction of effective social housing scheme that will be pro-people as panacea to the predominant urban development predicament in the country.
Aribigbola, a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, stressed the need to strengthen the housing and urban development policies in order to accommodate household social demographic characteristics.
The don, who disclosed this in the 13th inaugural lecture of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), entitled: “Urban Housing Development Quandary in Nigeria: Disconnect Between Policy and Reality,” said: “To resolve the quandary in housing and urban development in Nigeria, there is the need for pro-poor housing and urban development policies.”
He added: “I also recommend the need to incorporate households’ social demographic characteristics into housing and urban development policies. This essentially calls for the introduction of social housing scheme to take care of the needy that cannot take care of their housing needs.
“The social housing scheme must be vigorously pursued for the sake of the vulnerable that are the majority in the country. It will also help significantly by removing the disconnection between policy intention and actual housing delivery realities of housing situations of urban dwellers in Nigeria.”
Therefore, Aribigbola expressed concerns over the present approach and policy, which allowed unfettered market forces to determining housing consumption, insisting that the policy would not achieve the desired results of access to decent, safe and affordable housing for all Nigerians.
According to him, the required housing policy must seek to expand housing provision that would meet the needs of urban dwellers in terms of quality and size, as well as create conducive avenues to increase the supply of housing units and ancillary facilities in urban centres in order to eliminate the current housing shortage in the country.
While describing as a serious anomaly, the absence of up-to-date statewide plans and city master plans to guide, direct and control urban development in the country, Aribigbola said these anomalies must be urgently addressed.
He said master plans must be prepared for all the cities in the country in order to ensure orderly development and welfare of urban inhabitants.
In line with the global best practices, the inaugural lecturer called for decentralisation of state planning machinery which empowered state governments to control the use and planning of lands.

Blame managers of nation’s economy for graduate unemployment –VC

Prof. Iche Ukpai Kalu, the Vice-Chancellor of Evangel University, Ebonyi State in this interview with UCHENNA INYA blames the high level of graduates’ unemployment on nation’s economy managers, among other issues

The level of graduate unemployment is increasing yearly, while universities keep on churning out graduates. What do you think is responsible for this?

Specifically, the purpose of university education is to educate, and when the students are properly educated it is expected that such graduates should be able to excel in any field. And, of course, the country can only grow when it has educated population.

But, the irony of it all is that those managing the nation’s economy are responsible for the high rate of unemployment in the country. If the economy is well managed, of course, there will be a boost in employment drive, but if the economy is not properly managed, there is tendency that there will be high rate of unemployment and that is what is happening in the country presently. So, they should run the economy in such a way that there will be employment for youths and graduates of higher institutions.

What we are doing is to run programmes that will enable students and position them to team up with their other colleagues in order to engage themselves, rather looking for jobs that may never come. Apart from the fact that the National Universities Commission (NUC) is insisting that universities must train students in entrepreneurship courses or programmes, as a university, we also look into areas that when our students graduated it will become easier for them to start up their businesses. This is necessary because if the government could not employ them, they should be able to employ themselves.

Apart from the entrepreneurial programmes that are now compulsory in universities for graduates to survive the country’s unemployment situation, what are the other programmes introduced to equip the graduates for the world of work?

Really, this university, as part of its core values and vision, is to train the total man and for that reason, every student admitted into the institution is made to attend the chapel. The students may go to the chapel, not to sing or clap, but they should open their ears to listen to what we are teaching. For instance, if we continue to repeat it in their ears that corruption is bad, when they graduate from here it will be in stick to their brain and subconscious. So, that is part of the things we do in the university to inculcate in the students good virtues and conduct.

Besides, the university is currently having four colleges that offer a number of degree programmes. These are the College of Science, Management Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, as well as the College of Health Sciences. The College of Health Sciences came on board when I assumed office as Vice-Chancellor.

We offer courses such as Nursing Science, Physiotherapy, Radiography and Radiation Science, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health because we know that in time past, Ebonyi State was at a time regarded as a state with health issues such as tapeworm and guinea worm, among other diseases. Despite that these diseases have been totally eradicated, we again realised that the state was once regarded and classified some years back as an educationally disadvantaged state, as a university we then realise the need that we should introduce some courses that are not available in some Nigerian universities in order to address some of these shortcomings. At least we want to bring the programmes closer to the people of the state, and other Nigerians as the case may be.

Secondly, we also saw the need that we should offer programmes that will enable our students before their graduation to be gainfully employment, even when they go outside the country. We know that courses in the health sector are highly sought for in the United States and United Kingdom. Students that graduate in courses like Radiograph and Radiation Science will readily secure jobs outside the country more than those in other courses.

More importantly, we also believe that when we train our students to be employable, they will come back to remember their alma mater.

The fact also remains that universities are ranked these days based on their products. This is part of the criteria for ranking of universities worldwide. What I am saying is that if this university produces a graduate that win a noble prize, I can assure you that we will rank among the best in the world.

It is in view of this understanding that we want to raise our Accounting programme to five years so that our students in their fifth year can sit and pass the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) examinations. We also want our students in health sciences and nursing to pass their professional examinations as Registered Nurse, Registered Mid-Wives before graduation, and the same way in which we want those in Radiograph and Radiation Sciences to pass their professional examinations in United Kingdom, as well as those in Medical Laboratory and Nursing Sciences. So, this is the direction we are moving so that we wouldn’t be doing what others are doing.

Private universities are not benefiting from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) grants, what is your take on this?

Yes, but the Federal government needed to support all universities either public or private. They may not give us the percentage of the funds given to public universities to privately owned universities. The government should ensure some signs of appreciation to those who have denied themselves of the use of funds that they made in establishing these universities to complement the efforts of the government in educating Nigerians.

Let me also add here that in establishing a university, no matter the fees charged, the proprietor it cannot recover or recoup what he or she had spent or is spending on the institution throughout one’s lifetime.

But, private universities are charging high school fees, unlike their public counterparts

Unfortunately, private universities are being criticised for charging very high fees. Imagine a university that started with N10 billion, how much fees will the students pay for the proprietor to recover the capital invested on physical infrastructure, facilities and personnel put into the university so as to run smoothly.

For instance, you have to pay a high salary and other bills monthly and you still try as much as possible to meet the requirements of the National Universities Commission because education, especially university education is a highly regulated industry. You have to meet the demands of the benchmark standards put in place by the Commission for you to successfully run and operate as a university.

But, if the Federal Government allows us access to TETFund, it will go a long way in helping our staff to attend international conferences, carry out cutting-edge research that we cannot afford to fund ordinarily because of funds.

To me, there is injustice in the system, concerning TETFund, which the Federal Government must look into. They may not give out the percentage of the funds they give to public universities to private universities, but they should appreciate those who denied themselves of the use of funds that they made in establishing these private universities.

So, those who established private universities are making enormous sacrifices for the growth of the country and the government should support these universities. Both public and private universities should be supported if the government really wants the country to make meaningful progress. I don’t mean they should pay their salaries, and I didn’t say they should advertise for them.

All companies in the country are paying tax for development of education and contributing to TETFund, should the tax paid by private organisations operating in Nigeria not be utilised or enjoyed by the students in private universities? I think there is injustice in that. You don’t need to look at the proprietors of these institutions, but the students who are also Nigerian students, and citizens of the country in the first instance.

This institution is a faith-based university and there are chances that there will be undue influence from leadership of the church, the owner of the university. How do you manage such?

Let me say that I have the grace and favour that the authorities and owners of this university are highly educated people. The General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church, who is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the university, has two PhDs in Sociology and Political Science. Based on this he knows what the running of a university entails.

Again, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Sam Egwu, was at a time a lecturer, a two-term governor of the state and a Minister of Education. So, he understands the rules. The university is lucky that these persons understand the problems. They understand that there are things you must do and there are things you must not do. But there are issues in which they bring their influence to bear, and we carry them out with understanding.

Like they directed that they don’t want female students in this university to wear trousers. We love this rule as a faith-based university and we have implemented it because we believe in this.

Cultism has been a phenomenon in universities across the country. How has the institution been able to handle this social menace and others?

Cultism is actually a problem on Nigerian university campuses across the country but measures have been put in place by the management to fight this. We don’t tolerate cultism and other forms of social vices in the university. Sometime in the last academic session, we found out that some students were attending meetings outside the university campus, and we had to expel them from the university.

Of course, we have zero tolerance for anything cultism here because this place is a prayer ground and knowledge incubator and so we do not see why any student should be a cultist in the university. It is not tolerated at all. And, if we find anything like it, we will send such students away without any form of hesitation.

God has been helping us and we have been curtailing the menace on our campus. At the university, there are several Christian organisations, particularly the Christ Ambassadors Students’ Outreach, which is an Assemblies of God students forum in all the universities across the country and if we found out that any student is leaving the campus to attend a meeting outside, we take action immediately. The type of freedom that exists in public universities does not exist here. We do not allow our female students to go to male hostels, and vice versa.